


oh my god they were trainmates

by onewaytrigger



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Buckle up, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Freighthopping, Hurt/Comfort, Maybe - Freeform, Slow Burn, Trains, amity uses slightly illegal coping mechanisms, and instead of an open boxcar with hay it's actually a hollow one with no roof, but romantic, disclaimer freight trains are not like this in real life, do not do this in real life by the way, fast-paced because ive learned from being too slow, for plot reasons again, hear me out... what if luz and amity were train hoppers, i clicked the random article button on wikipedia and ended up here, i definitely didn't do an unhealthy amount of research about freight trains, i feed off of comments like a leech, i just looked it up and trainhopping isnt actually illegal everywhere, i literally had this idea while in a doctors appointment, i may have changed the way freight trains work so it'd work for this plot, idk actually, if a freighthopping au met a coffee shop au and entered a poly relationship with a high school au, in this AU amity stopped being friends with willow a lot later, it's gonna get angsty, like its not all luz being a ball of optimism, not entirely accurate freight train representation, only good vibes here, sometimes luz is very angry and unhinged, their characters are a weird mix between their beta and canon personalities, there's no gross stuff tho, they just have to be 17 or else it's WAY too unrealistic, they're both 17 in this for safety reasons, think "on the run" from steven universe and that's this entire fic, this fic has the vibes of cool kids by twin cabins, this is the best idea i've ever had, trainhopping, what would make you think that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29092548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewaytrigger/pseuds/onewaytrigger
Summary: Setting her bag down, she pulled out her phone and went on to her map app, relaxing slightly.And that was when she noticed the other person already in the car.She jolted as she made eye contact with the stranger. They stared at each other for a solid minute, both just as surprised as the other.Amity spoke first. "Uh... hey." She hugged the wall as much as she could, using her bag as a shield in case the person attacked. "Who... who are you?"(Freighthopping AU)
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, past one-sided amity/willow
Comments: 47
Kudos: 187





	1. this town's the oldest friend of mine

**Author's Note:**

> i literally just got told that i have surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my kidney on thursday and i spent the entire night cranking this out instead of planning to reschedule my move to illinois
> 
> anyways...... i have twelve tabs open on my computer and all of them are about freight trains
> 
> i have a bad track record with keeping up w/ multi-chapter fics so.. like, forewarning, sometimes i just forget that ao3 exists for a while and then when i'm back i see that i havent updated in months and im like "ah well shit" and thats the end of it,, but im actually really excited about this so we'll see where it goes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (title from The Look - Metronomy)

Silent raindrops pelted her bedroom window, leaving a gloomy feeling as they sluggishly complied with gravity and rolled down the glass. The sky above wasn't doing much to help the melancholy portrait it was painting, its color dark gray and threatening.

Amity was hunched over her desk, absentmindedly droning away at her homework in pajama pants and a tank top, not bothering to get dressed when she wouldn't go outside. Her eyes blinked out of sync with each other, and if there was anything more zombie-like than an actual zombie, it would likely be her.

_At least I don't have to see Boscha,_ she mused as she completed yet another uselessly complicated math problem without paying it much mind. She longed to spend the rainy day snuggled up in her bed, watching stupid cat videos or even _sleeping_ , however, her mother would get on her case if she "spent a potentially productive day lazing around." So she continued doing homework a week before it was even assigned, yet another stupid 'privilege' her mother had given her to artificially make her keep her top-student badge forever.

Her headphones were quietly playing her favorite songs on loop as she opted to listen to the rain pattering on the concrete of her driveway. In the distance, she could hear the light rumble of thunder miles away. 

She sighed and set her pencil down, holding her head in her hands. It was five in the morning. School would start soon, yet her brain wasn't caught up with her running thoughts yet. Already, she knew she wouldn't come straight home after getting let out of class, and she knew her parents wouldn't notice her absence.

* * *

Amity had discreetly packed a water bottle and a couple of sandwiches into her backpack before she went to school that morning. The classes were the same as always, the teachers seeming less interested in the subject than the students, and easy classwork that Amity could complete in the same period it was assigned.

Instead of heading down the path she'd walked home on for years, she turned and walked for a few miles. Behind a few lines of trees and empty fields beyond were railroad tracks, smack-dab in the middle of nowhere, hours between any stopping points that a train would need to take.

It was her favorite place in the world, ironically, considering she absolutely despised noises that were incessantly loud and big empty spaces.

Here, cargo trains would roll by every couple of days, carrying random junk that still needed such outdated forms of transportation. Amity had studied the pattern they would arrive in while sitting by the creek inside the woods, marking down each day a train would arrive and when. As a kid, she'd visit the tracks with one of her friends and hop on the first car that was available to ride in, and just watch as empty fields passed her by.

She'd never been caught by her parents or by infamous railroad bulls, and she treasured the isolation that she'd get. Sometimes she'd encounter railroad workers when she'd stayed on the train for too long, but they'd just tell her to get off and let her scamper away to find a ride home, so besides the rides she'd taken with her old friend, she'd always felt a sense of peace that came with the long times of complete loneliness.

Every few hours the train would slow down at some random place, and that was when the workers would go through with flashlights to make sure everything was going okay, and there she'd hop off and walk to the small town that was always close by. There she'd call an Uber back home, and she'd always be back by ten. 

It was a routine she'd adapted to get some time away from her parents and just relax that she'd had since she was fourteen.

She'd fallen asleep to the sound of the cars trudging down the tracks far more than she'd admit. 

Now, she was hiding in the tree line, waiting for the train she knew would arrive to come. It was slightly behind schedule, she noted as she glanced at the spreadsheet on her phone. While she waited she took out one of her sandwiches and scarfed it down, still keeping her ears open for the distant sound of the locomotive.

The trains that came through were always boxcars carrying ores and random rocks that Amity couldn't identify, which made it easy to ride in because of the open roof and space. She reminisced on the times when she'd buried her feet in iron ore like sand and pocketed some of the rocks when she was younger and dumber. 

She was snapped out of her thoughts as she felt subtle vibrations in the ground beneath her as a train pulled closer. She pulled her bag back over her shoulders and crouched at the very edge of the woods. It was getting a little darker outside as the sun dipped below the horizon and cold gripped the air. The locomotive came into view as it chugged along. Amity stayed hidden, waiting for the middle of the train. She counted twelve cars as they passed, then she ran forward, grabbing onto a bar attached to one rideable, and climbed up, eyeballing the inside before letting her feet touch the inside. It was lightly filled at the bottom, but generally good to hide in.

Setting her bag down, she pulled out her phone and went on to her map app, relaxing slightly.

And that was when she noticed the other person already in the car. 

She jolted as she made eye contact with the stranger. They stared at each other for a solid minute, both just as surprised as the other. 

Amity spoke first. "Uh... hey." She hugged the wall as much as she could, using her bag as a shield in case the person attacked. "Who... who are you?"

She could see the stranger analyze her and relax slightly. "I'm Luz. I assume you like to hop too?" The words came out calculatedly, as if Luz wasn't sure what to think of Amity yet.

"Yeah," Amity responded. Luz seemed satisfied with that answer as she pulled out her phone, mirroring her sudden travel companion. Her guard didn't completely drop, which Amity could understand, as her own "stranger danger" senses were tingling.

They sat in comfortable silence (well, as silent as an old train could get) as they played around on their phones. Amity's heart was still pounding from the shock of encountering someone else on the railroads she'd always been isolated on, especially someone who wasn't a railroad worker. She felt a need to say something, to get to know the girl in front of her.

After all, getting off the train now was dangerous, as it had sped up since Amity had hopped on, and the next stop wasn't for another few hours, so if she was gonna be stuck on a train with this stranger, she might as well strike up a conversation. 

"So what brings you here?" Amity asked, cringing at her voice cracking. She mentally facepalmed for even trying to talk to Luz.

Luz looked up from her phone, smirk evident on her lips. "I don't really know, to be honest."

Amity titled her head at that. "What do you mean, you 'don't know?'"

"I guess I just wanted to get away," the brunette replied with a shrug. "What about you? Also, what the heck is your name?"

Amity giggled at her use of the word 'heck.' "I never did say my name, did I? I'm Amity. And I guess the same reason as you. I wanted to get away from it for a little while."

Her companion offered a friendly grin. With that she stood up and put her arms on the edge of the car, resting her head on her forearms and watching as the sun set further over the horizon. Amity joined her, enjoying the scenery, letting the silence grow.

The minty-green haired Blight wasn't exactly sure why she felt so comfortable with Luz, despite meeting her less than ten minutes ago. Maybe it was because they shared a similar story, a need to get away, or maybe it was a need for real friendship that'd been hidden for years and bubbled up in the presence of a potential new friend.

In front of them was a meadow full of small, pink flowers that opened into a valley, and just beyond that was a cabin with the lights turned on. Luz pointed towards it. "That's my aunt's place. I was supposed to get off when you got on and just walk to it, but I heard you hopping on and got scared."

"You use this line to go to your aunt's?" Amity questioned. 

Luz rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "It's easier than walking. This place is too remote to drive to, and I don't want to risk getting kidnapped or something while getting here."

"Yet you risk getting arrested by bulls."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "You act as if there are bulls out here. The only people on this line are workers who don't get paid enough to care about someone who tags along."

Amity conceded to that. "How long have you been using this track to go to your aunt?"

"Two years, but I only really visit once a month or so."

"Must've been a weird stroke of luck to never see me, then."

Luz nodded. "How long have you been doing this for?"

"Three years. I used to come up here with an old friend who knew more about this than I did, and then I fell in love with it."

Conversation flowed between them for hours with both getting to know the other better as Amity neared the small town she'd always visit. The sun was now completely gone, and stars filled the cloudless night sky. At one point Luz and Amity just stared at it as the train rumbled in the background.

Amity started to recognize their surroundings, and took notice of the train slowing down. She turned to Luz. "There's a little town a short walk away from here. I always get off here, and I'd suggest you do the same, 'cause bulls lurk at the station ahead of us." Getting off the train while it was moving was dangerous business. Amity always started by throwing her bag down, then jumping off and hoping she didn't fall. Luckily it was always easy because this specific train didn't go very fast normally, and when it slowed down it was simple to just jump off without much risk besides rolling if you fell.

Luz followed behind her this time, and they both got off the train with ease.

After Amity grabbed her bag, she led her new friend towards the town on her familiar path. 

Once they arrived, she turned awkwardly toward the brunette. "I have to be home before ten, so I guess this is goodbye?"

A lightbulb seemed to go off in Luz's head. "Nah, silly, let me just put my number in your phone."

If you asked Amity why her heart sped up at that, she wouldn't be able to give you an answer. "Oh, okay." She handed her friend her phone, watching as she put her contact name as "LUZ!!!!!!"

Afterwards they had to part ways, but Amity would be lying if she said she wasn't thinking about Luz the whole Uber ride home. She got a weird look from the driver for staring out the window when they went through a tunnel, but she didn't care.


	2. honey, we ran from the country when we rushed to the city

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (title from Money - The Drums)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FOREWARNING! i forgot to put it in the tags and im too lazy to add it now but this is going to be a slow burn. like, a SCORCHING HOT SLOW BURN. like they're going to pine for each other for almost this entire fic. 
> 
> obviously i don't want you guys to die so i'll add a couple close calls in there but they're entirely going to be dancing around each other. maybe even literally.
> 
> now who wants a romantic date on a freight train? because i sure do

**LUZ!!!!!!:** okay but theoretically if otters took over the world then would they use social media or seashell media

 **Amity:** Luz, otters don't live by the sea.

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** wrong, marine otters exist. ha. gotcha

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** and even if they didn't my point would still stand

 **Amity:** What exactly is seashell media?

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** social media but all of it is on seashells

 **Amity:** I don't know why I even laugh at your dumb jokes.

"What's got you smiling so much, Mittens?"

Amity startled, jumping so hard she dropped her phone, which landed face-up on the hardwood flooring with a thud. "What the hell, Emira!"

Her older sister held up her hands defensively. "I was just asking," she said smoothly, a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. "But if you're so defensive about it..." She lurched forward and grabbed Amity's phone, holding it just out of her reach. "C'mon Mittens! You never avoid us _this_ much when we visit."

"That's because I don't particularly enjoy your company, if you hadn't noticed," Amity shot back, stretching her hands up and trying to grab her phone, to no avail. 

Emira held her hand over her heart. "You wound me." She handed her younger sister her phone. "Fine, you win. But who was that? I never see you smile when you're on your phone."

Amity's ears reddened slightly. "It's just... someone I know from school," she lied, desperately trying to get out of this conversation. Well, it wasn't entirely a lie, considering Luz did go to her school, yet they shared a total of zero classes and were always on the other side of the building.

Her sister raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical, but she didn't push any further. "Okay then, Mittens. Edric and I are going to a coffee shop a few miles from here. Someone recommended it to us, and we really want to get out of this damned house. You want to come with?"

The younger contemplated this for a moment. _Pros, sibling time, getting out of the house, away from parents. Cons, sibling time._

With a resigned sigh, Amity shrugged her shoulders. "Why not?"

* * *

The drive to the shop was short, and the outside of the place was jarring. Hanging from the roof was a sign that read "The Owl House" with a large Disney-like portrait of an owl, there were multiple murals of owls covering the brick walls, and perhaps the most eye-widening was the owl calmly perched outside, not flying off or even really seeming to care about Amity or her siblings.

"Wow, someone really likes owls," Edric said, voicing Amity's thoughts. 

"No kidding," Emira replied, walking up to the door and holding it open for her siblings. The owl sitting by the doorway stared at them curiously, unnerving Amity for some reason.

She walked through the door, looking around the fairly normal-looking place, despite the weird obsession with owls the owner definitely had. 

"Amity!"

_Fuck._

The youngest of the three siblings turned towards the voice. There, in all her glory, was Luz. She was wearing an apron over a white-and-purple hoodie that cut just a bit too short for Amity's mental state, and was looking at her with delight.

_Are those cat ears? Wait, no, don't think about that. Your life and dignity are on the line, Amity!_

Awkwardly, and maybe just a little too stiffly, Amity shuffled up to the counter, painfully aware of her siblings' gaze piercing through her act. "Hey, Luz."

"What brings you here? Oh, wait- I mean, what would you like? We have lots of coffee!" Luz said with a smile just a bit too blindingly happy.

"Your favorite drink."

_Where in the hell did that come from._

Luz looked a little taken aback, but recovered quickly. "Okay! It's a surprise then."

She turned to begin making the drink for Amity, who took the time to chastise herself for being so stupidly confident and awkward at the same time. She turned towards her siblings, giving them a death glare, as if to say "if you say anything I will rearrange your heart and rectum."

The brunette behind the counter set down Amity's coffee. "A French vanilla cappuccino! My favorite!" Amity was sure that if there was any internet emoticon that Luz could be, it would be a smiley face with multiple parentheses. _Now the big question, is she :))))) or :))))))))?_

Edric and Emira ordered their drinks and they all sat down at a table closest to the door. For a reason Amity couldn't place, the twins were looking at her funny and giggling.

"What's so funny?"

"Aww, Mittens has a crush!" Edric cooed, quietly enough that Luz wouldn't hear.

"Is she the friend you were texting earlier?" Emira questioned with a dopey grin on her face, using her palms to hold her chin as she teased her little sister.

"Wha- I don't have a crush on Luz! The hell?" Amity sputtered, a red hue tinting her face. _Maybe I do? But- that's ridiculous, we met a week ago!_

Her older sister quirked an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair as she sipped on her coffee. "Holy shit, this is really good. But anyways, are you sure you're not already head-over-heels for her yet?"

Edric grinned, pushing his whole body forward and putting his elbows on the table. "Young love! So beautiful. So carefree."

Amity looked away, pointedly ignoring everything they were saying. 

* * *

**LUZ!!!!!!:** you have to see this lake i found while i was looking for a railroad

 **Amity:** There aren't any lakes around here.

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** yeah its not around here

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** it is, in fact, fifty miles away

 **Amity:** The town near the tracks we met on isn't even fifty miles away from my house.

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** cmonnnn

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** be a little adventurous

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** for me!!!

 **Amity:** You'll pay for my gas, right?

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** wow..... i see how it is.

 **Amity:** Kidding. 

**Amity:** Fine. Where should I pick you up?

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** i just got off work mlady

The engine of Amity's car rumbled as she pulled away from her house and started down the road towards The Owl House. It had been two weeks since she'd met Luz, and those two weeks were filled with random adventures Luz had pulled her on. It seemed that the Latina knew the area well, considering how many weird landmarks she'd had to show her friend.

Amity pretended like she was reluctant to go on these escapades, despite the fact she'd desperately wanted as much time with Luz as humanly possible. Maybe that was weird to think about when you've been friends with someone for two weeks, but it'd been three years since Amity had a friend that wasn't chosen by her parents, so she chalked it up to needing a normal teenage experience before she grew too old to call it that.

Edric's words from the week before popped into her mind. _"Aww, Mittens has a crush!"_

 _No! Don't betray me right now, brain!_ She fought the thought away. She didn't have a crush on Luz, and she never would. She just wanted a normal friendship. That was it.

If she had to fight a blush too, she wouldn't tell you.

She eyed the coffee shop that Luz worked at as she pulled into the parking lot, watching as the brunette ran towards her car. She unlocked the passenger-side door as Luz excitedly threw herself in. 

"Alright, Amity! It's an hour-long drive so I brought you a muffin and coffee as a thank you!" Luz said proudly, handing Amity a to-go cup filled with a French vanilla cappuccino (Amity's new favorite beverage to ever exist) and a chocolate-chip muffin.

Amity gave her a thankful smile and pulled out of the parking lot, glancing at her GPS and heading down the road towards the lake Luz was so enthusiastic about.

The drive was long, but it didn't seem so painful, as the two sang songs on the radio at the top of their lungs. They arrived at the small woods that surrounded the lake in what felt like an instant.

As Amity walked along the perimeter of the surprisingly beautiful body of water, kicking in rocks that sat along the edge and joking around with Luz, she spotted an area where the land rose and jutted out over it.

"I dare you to jump into the lake from there," Amity said, pointing at the short cliff. 

Surprisingly, Luz just shrugged and bolted in the direction she was pointing, leaving Amity to watch as she ascended the hill and fell back into the water without giving a shit. Then she floated to the surface, which took longer than Amity's comfort zone allowed, and lay on her back in the water, gesturing for her friend to join her.

However, Amity was content to let her legs dangle over the edge of the cliff and watch as Luz pitifully attempted to splash her with water.

"Why won't you come join me?" Luz pouted, crossing her arms.

"I'm not too keen on freezing to death when it gets dark, unlike you, apparently," Amity replied, sticking her tongue out.

"It's only, like, two. Don't be a goody two-shoes!" 

Amity liked this, she liked being able to banter with Luz like they'd known each other their entire lives. Something about their friendship seemed so innate, like it was destined to happen and it was destined to be the best friendship ever.

She just hoped she wouldn't ruin it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thansk for reading i appreciate comments because i leech off of them to grow more powerful
> 
> guys i randomly decided "what if... what if i ALSO MADE THIS A COFFEE SHOP AU." and because i have no self-control luz is a barista now????????/ idk im literally making up the plot to this as i write it down so.
> 
> also, sorry for the TWO!!!!!! timeskips in this chapter. i tried to write a scene after the coffee shop where luz took amity somewhere but it didn't feel right considering they met a week ago????? like idk maybe its my limited interactions with friends but it didnt work so i just tacked on another week
> 
> besides its not like amity was doing anything besides staying in her room, sleeping, and thinking about luz.
> 
> i'm having trouble processing the fact i just uploaded two chapters in a day, but i guess there's a first for everything. (can u tell how much fun i'm having writing this fic... because i've never uploaded a second chapter for anything ever and i just did this on the SAME FUCKING DAY)


	3. i can never be the one you want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (title from Sun's Out - Hoops)
> 
> railroad trip - part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's february now? can't wait for 2021 to pass in the blink of an eye
> 
> wait... doesn't that mean its femslash february too? maybe ill post like a singular one shot and then pour my heart and soul back into this fic instead
> 
> this chapter came out a day later than i wanted it to but i passed out at 10 PM so sorry. i wont be updating this for a little while cuz im getting surgery and moving in a single week! thanks bye

Night had fallen on the fields beyond the isolated town of Bonesborough, moonlight casting the faintest shadows of plants onto the ground. Within the woods just before the railroad track, Amity trudged over undergrowth and through thin spaces where the denser trees split apart.

Behind her, Luz was tagging along. The area was eerily silent, and the serious atmosphere was replaced with one of relief when they could hear a locomotive in the distance. 

Crouching, Amity waited. She'd planned to hop onto this train with Luz the week before, while they were at the lake. It was most likely to continue through the station that she'd always hopped off of instead of stopping because of its limited amount of workers and less precious cargo, and Amity was hungry for exploration to one-up Luz on her knowledge of adventuring spots.

She couldn't explain why she wanted to impress Luz so much. Maybe she just wanted to make a good impression? They had only been friends for three weeks, to be fair. 

She'd given her parents an excuse before leaving, since she'd probably be gone until the afternoon if all went well.

"I'll be at Boscha's for a sleepover," she'd yelled out before heading out the door with a backpack and three less water bottles in the fridge. She knew that her parents probably wouldn't notice her absence, but it's better to be safe than sorry. 

Now, she watched as the train slowly rolled past, hearing Luz's breath hitch when the first two cars were tankers instead of boxcars. More cars came into view, moving so sluggishly Amity almost felt empathy for them. They were like old people who had to move on walkers.

Noticing a boxcar with a door opened on the side, Amity pointed to it, and her brunette friend understood. They darted towards it, throwing their bags on. Amity hauled herself on, holding a hand out for Luz to use to join her. Her friend grinned and grabbed her outstretched palm, pulling herself on, and stumbled.

Then Luz fell.

Right onto of Amity.

With her arms holding herself just above her.

Their eyes locked as the train sped up beneath them, like it was waiting for their arrival. For what seemed like an eternity, brown stared into hazel, before a blush bloomed over Amity's face like wildfire. She scrambled out from underneath, scurrying to one side of the car, opening her bag to grab a water bottle because _damn, was it hot in there?_ Her throat had dried up and her heart was going a trillion times the normal rate.

She could hear Luz giggling in the place she'd left her. She turned, and watched, as her friend took off her beanie and set it to the side. 

"You're a doofus," Luz teased, sticking her tongue out at Amity.

"You're the one who fell on me," the green-haired girl retaliated, throwing her friend a water bottle, who caught it without effort.

The Latina threw her hands up. "Woah, woah! Some hard accusations there! You had your foot in the place I was trying to step on!"

Amity gave her an unimpressed look, but it crumbled when she cracked a tiny smile. 

On the inside, the car was huge. There was plenty of space to lurk in the darkness in case someone searched and spots on both sides that were clean enough to set up a spot to lay down. The door that they jumped in through was hardly a fourth of the entire wall. 

"Well, Blight," Luz began, grabbing Amity's attention. "Are you ready for an adventure along the west coast railroads?"

* * *

The first stop was somewhere in Montana. The yard was almost entirely empty, save for a few abandoned cars that needed to be buffed of graffiti. It was far from their original hop-on spot, which was in Washington. They'd been on the train for ten hours then, telling stories about themselves and just watching landscape fly by. The sun was beginning to rise, and they had a good view of it, as the boxcar's door was facing to the east the whole time. 

"Wait, so they wanted to post your diary around the whole school?" Luz asked, bewildered. Amity's recent story was about the time her siblings had taken her diary when she was fourteen and tried to expose her private thoughts to everyone.

"Yeah. It had such embarrassing things in it too," the mint-haired girl replied, shoving her face into her palms as it turned a light shade of pink. 

The Latina in front of her perked up, an unreadable look in her eyes. "Like, crushes?" 

Amity peeked one eye out between her fingers, her previously palish pink face now a deep red. "No!" She wouldn't tell her crush about her crushes. What if Luz picked up on her type? 

"Okay, I'll let it go," Luz said with a smirk, turning her attention to the railroad yard around them. "Wanna get off here and just walk to the nearest town? I think the capital's near here, actually." She didn't wait for an answer, instead grabbing her navy-blue bag and hopping off the car, eyeing Amity as she waited for her companion to follow behind.

They left the yard without being spotted, finding a path that lead them to a nearby road. Luz was right; the capital of Montana was only a thirty minute walk away, so they set off towards it, with Amity checking her map app to find a good restaurant to stop at.

"I wonder if this place gets tourists," Luz commented, the city visible in front of them, looking entirely unremarkable. 

Amity shook her head. "One time when I was nine, my family took a trip here for business reasons and there was almost nothing to do but wait in the hotel." She could single out a few familiar buildings, like the Capitol building where her parents had disappeared to lobby with politicians. 

Her friend gave a thoughtful hum beside her as they walked onto city grounds. Amity led her to a place that sold good food for a reasonable price, making sure to pay with the cash she'd brought with her so her parents didn't track her credit card.

They ate in silence, both hungrier than they realized from going seven high-energy hours without food. Once they finished their respective meals, they strolled along the sidewalk.

"Is it normal to go on a trip through multiple states with a friend you've had for three weeks?" Amity asked as they sat under a tree, leaning against the bark. 

"What you need to know about me, Blight, is that I'm not normal," Luz quipped, using her palms to support her head as she lay against the trunk, closing her eyes. A few cars drove past on the road in front of them. "I would happily join an interstate trip with someone I'd met a day before."

"If you turn up dead soon I'll know what to tell the cops," the youngest Blight said. The sun was perfectly centered above their heads, like it was trying to get them with its natural rays that'd kill if it weren't for the protection of the deteriorating ozone layer and a thin cloud cover. As such, a soft light projected onto their features when they sat there in the following silence.

It was a comfortable quiet, with both just enjoying the feeling of freedom they'd been searching for.

Amity decided that if she'd ever be on a deserted island with nothing and nobody but Luz, it wouldn't be so bad. 

_Is that weird to think about?_

_All I know is that I want this to last forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes that "your crush falls on top of you" scene is absolutely cheesy and cliche. what r you gonna do about it?
> 
> also wtf is with me and 1 week interval timeskips? i gotta start skipping a couple days instead
> 
> i had really bad writers block while writing this chapter, and not in the way where im like "aaa i have no ideas" but instead more like "aaa i have so many ideas that i don't know which ones to implement and which ones to save for another chapter"
> 
> anyways i listened to this spotify playlist obsessively while writing this: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0VxTPW8qD1HdA25RHJViPI it has absolutely nothing to do with lumity but i feel like so many of the songs just fit
> 
> fun fact: the place they live in in washington doesn't exist, but the place i'm modelling it after is a 6 hour drive to helena! they basically always take the scenic route cuz who needs a 10 hour train ride to the most boring capital in the US?
> 
> this is the last chapter of set-up for their friendship. now we can get into the angsty bits. lets fucking go


	4. i can never tell what's real anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (title from Remember When - Wallows)
> 
> railroad trip - part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello friends im back with another chapter of this shitshow
> 
> im not proud of this chapter so sorry if its bad! but anyways the surgery went well (gotta postpone my move another week again tho) and i'm back to putting my focus into this fic. anyways who wants a crumb of s2 news cuz i sure do

Amity's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out of the cloth prison, an incoming phone call with the caller ID 'Emira' displayed on the screen. Reluctantly, she pressed the accept button, aware of Luz's eyes watching her. They were at a bus stop, after all. "Hello?"

Emira's voice on the other side was crackly, like the signal was weak. "Amity? Where are you?"

"Would you believe me if I said I'm in the capital of Montana?" Amity replied. Luz giggled beside her.

Her sister snorted. "No, what? Are you at Boscha's? Mom's been questioning me 'about your whereabouts' and I just told her that you were at her's."

"I'm being completely serious," Amity deadpanned. "She's totally gonna ask Boscha's mom now. Fuck." 

"What the hell are you doing in Montana? In case you hadn't noticed, we live in Washington," Emira replied, an edge of panic lacing her voice. "How did you even get there? Your car is still in the driveway! Wait, do you have a secret friend who drove you? Tell me about them this instant."

Amity sighed. "No, I didn't drive here. I'll tell you later. I'm getting a bus right now." She hung up, putting her phone away, turning to Luz. "What's up?" The Latina was staring back at her with a disappointed look in her eyes.

"Well, none of these buses go to Washington. So it's either ask for a six hour Uber or try our luck at another bus, 'cause that ride would be expensive," Luz explained, rubbing her shoulder sheepishly. "Or we just get on another train and hope it leads us to our spot. Unless you want to end up in the middle of Pennsylvania." 

None of those options sounded appealing. An Uber would be too expensive six hours out, they weren't sure where any other bus stops were, and freight trains were not particularly great for direct travel unless you knew the track well. And, well, they didn't know any of the railroads here.

For the second time in a minute, Amity sighed, though it came out more like a groan. She stole a glance at Luz's phone to check the time. It was nearing ten A.M. and if they didn't find a way out quick, she'd be home suspiciously late. "I guess we'd be better off getting a ride," she decided, albeit with hesitance. "It's almost a thousand dollars to get one, though."

Luz made a strangled noise next to her. "How the hell do we pay for that?" 

Amity stared at her blankly. "Luz, I'm a Blight." Clearly, the brunette didn't get it, as she tilted her head to the side like a puppy. Amity made a 'go on' motion with her hand. "Like, the richest family in Washington? I'm not concerned about the price, more about my family seeing it, you know? Even when you have a multi-billion dollar fortune, an eight-hundred dollar purchase to Uber is a little eyebrow-raising. And they monitor their finances way too closely for a rich family." The green-haired teen put her head in her hands. "Way, way too closely."

Her friend's hands flew to her cheeks, holding her mouth agape. "You're _rich_? I always wondered what it was like to have a rich friend. What's that saying? Do I have to eat you in the name of Karl Marx now?" Now Luz's expression was more contemplative. "I don't know, I feel like you'd taste bad though."

Amity slapped her friend in the back of the head. "I wouldn't taste bad, but please don't eat me. Anyways, we're getting off topic. Should we get a ride or not?" She really wanted Luz to tell her no, because she wasn't sure if she wanted to risk getting reprimanded by her parents.

Luz blinked. "I mean, its your money. You decide. I think trains are flashier and cooler though," she said, bringing her fists to her hips and standing proudly as if she'd helped her friend in any way with the decision. 

They ended up getting an Uber, because Amity didn't want to end up in the middle of Pennsylvania. It took a while before they were able to find a driver that was willing to go for six hours and two states away, but they both knew there'd be someone desperate enough eventually, and they were right. The ride was silent, with Luz clocking out and leaning onto Amity's shoulder as she slept. 

_Cute._

Amity decided she would never look at Luz while she was sleeping ever again.

* * *

They arrived at The Owl House a few hours after Luz had passed out, the time reading four o'clock exact. Amity nudged her awake and pulled her out of the car, muttering a string of apologies for the long ride and a multitude of 'thank you's' at the driver. The man didn't seem to care, remarking how he used to be a truck driver and was desensitized to endless, silent stretches of road.

Luz, in her dazed and sleepy state, sat on one of the outdoor tables in front of The Owl House. "Hey, didn't you say you had to go home? Get out of here, Blight!" The brunette teased, shooing Amity off. "I'll be fine," she added, stretching the 'i.'

"No crink in your neck? You sure?" Amity passed off her concern as a joke, but her eyes were sharp and looking for discomfort in her friend's posture. Luz stared back at her with a flare of determination peeking through her pupils. 

They had a staring contest for a moment before Amity retreated, scoffing as she turned on her heel to head back to her lifeless manor. "Fine. You win. But don't come crying to me when you can't hop trains tomorrow 'cause you slept on your side weird." Her eyes landed on Luz just as the girl stuck her tongue out at her. 

The walk home was around thirty minutes long. Amity listened to her favorite song on repeat the whole time, bobbing her head up and down to the beat. The lyrics sang about feeling inadequate despite being at the top and not recognizing yourself when looking in the mirror. No matter how much one probed, Amity would never tell a soul how heavily she could relate. 

A 'ding' sounded from a text notification, momentarily silencing the music, which Amity frowned at. The message was from Edric. 

**Edric:** hey just so u know mom's waiting for u 

**Edric:** idk why but she seems upset just warning u

She raised an eyebrow at the text displayed on the screen. A few stray, anxiety-inducing thoughts, ranging from 'she knows about Luz' and 'you're gonna get grounded for life' clouded her judgment as she quickened the pace of her walk to a light jog. She'd been so careful when hanging out with her friend, going as far as to check behind her back every few minutes for any of her other social group's members spying on her. 

She knew it wasn't paranoia. Someone had caught her, somehow, and now she had to deal with the consequences. She silently trudged up the concrete path to the Blight Manor, the gardener trimming the bushes in front giving her a bored glance. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door, the quiet lobby she'd walked through a million times welcoming her. 

Beyond the foyer, her mother sat on a red velvet couch, turning her head to give Amity a hard stare, as if awaiting her arrival. "Amity, come sit," she called, in a tone like she was talking to a client rather than her daughter. 

The green-haired teen gulped, taking a seat on the armchair across from the couch. "Yes, mother?" 

"Recently your father and I have noticed that you haven't been spending as much time with Boscha and your social circle," her mother began. "Boscha's mother has relayed to me that you also haven't been attending soccer practice anymore. Why is that?"

Amity mulled over a response. "I have been foregoing practice to spend more time in seclusion to focus on my studies, ma'am," she replied carefully. "I've yet to find a spare moment in my schedule to set up meetings with Boscha." Her breath hitched as she noticed her mother's cold eyes analyzing her. She hoped her lie was enough to hold her over.

"If such is the case, why did I receive a phone call from her mother informing me that she had seen you by the train tracks? And why did your sister tell me that you were at her house if you weren't?" 

Silence accompanied the following moments, with Amity reeling from how her mother was always a step ahead. Her absence of response seemed to be all Odalia needed. 

"After hearing this I began tracking your phone. Imagine my surprise when I see you in Helena, Montana! I don't remember you telling me about a need to be there, Amity. Why is it that you're lying to me? Is there someone behind this?" Odalia sliced through her, her light brown eyes piercing the top of her head as Amity looked down. 

"No, ma'am. There is no one behind this, I-" Amity started, only to be cut off by the front door opening to reveal her father, Alador. He calmly walked up to the living room the two were situated in, taking a seat next to his wife, not bothering to ask what was happening as he already knew.

Amity met his gaze as he looked up. She bit her lip, noticing the stack of papers he was holding in between his arm and torso. It felt like an eternity before anyone said anything, the room so tensely silent Amity could hear her own heartbeat, which was faster than normal.

"I'd like to talk to you about this character we've noticed," Alador finally spoke, breaking the quiet, but only piling on to the tension. "Luce, or however you say her name."

Horror gripped Amity's entire being, and she was sure that it showed on her face, judging from her mother's frown curling into a knowing smile. 

_It's happening again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> luz is a communist, no debate. it goes without saying. also first person to guess what song amity was listening to gets an honorary, pretend, imaginary 5 dollar bill.
> 
> i'd like to say this because i think it's important to mention, but none of my chapters are beta'd and they're all first drafts (because i've always been of the mindset that if i write a second draft it'll be worst than my first, most of the time the first draft is always better imo) so there's probably a MYRIAD of mistakes.
> 
> i'm always open to corrections and constructive criticism because i make a shit ton of mistakes in my writing, which i never stop looking to correct. i only got into writing a year ago so i'm totally still really rusty! like, in my first fic ever, i wrote a whole wall of dialogue that was really hard to read and someone told me not to do that and i was like "woah!" and stopped doing it
> 
> so that being said, PLEASE correct me and my dumb mistakes. i will always remember it whenever i'm writing something new and i am desperate for ways to improve at everything, fic writing being one of them. i usually write these right after i wake up or right before i go to sleep (cuz im too busy the rest of the day) so the drowsiness definitely affects my output somewhat.
> 
> anyways, thank u for reading! i love u mwah


	5. you're not a person, you're my friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (title from Blondie - Current Joys)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> do yall prefer longer chapters with less frequent updates or shorter chapters with updates more often? my chapters are short mostly because i like easy cut-off points to build off of, but i could incorporate them into longer chapters if yall are interested in that
> 
> anyways this chapter is slightly longer than my usual chapters but it's because i was really excited to start this main plot

Luz knew something was up.

Amity hadn't been answering any of her ecstatic texts about a dog that had popped up at The Owl House, nor had she shown up to their planned meet-up at the train tracks the day after they'd returned from their escape to Montana. Amity was very punctual, she was never late and she always seemed to be a stickler for time management, so there was no way she'd forgotten about it. 

The apparent disappearance of her friend bothered Luz when she went to class the Monday afterward. She told herself that Amity was just busy, or that something had come up, but it did little to appease her growing anxiety. 

_What if she's hurt? What if she's in the hospital right now in a coma? What if she's dying and there's a funeral service already being arranged and I'm not invited?_

_What if it's me?_

She got stuck on the last thought for a while. _Fuck. What if it_ is _me?_ Maybe Amity was a hardcore capitalist and didn't appreciate her Karl Marx joke, maybe she'd realized she was much better than Luz and didn't need her, maybe she'd been weirded out by her personality and dropped her. 

"Luz?"

_I'm the weirdest person ever and everyone hates me because of how weird I am._

"Luz? Are you okay?"

_I don't know why I even try to make friends when I know they'll all end up dropping me because of my weird personality and even weirder interests-_

"Luz!" 

The Luz in question startled out of her thought bubble from the sheer volume of the voice in her ear. She gained her footing after stumbling out of her chair for a moment in surprise. Beside her, her friend Willow was shooting her a concerned look, with one eyebrow raised in a gentle question. "Hi! Willow! Yes, you are Willow!" Luz stuttered, waving a hand to shoo her embarrassment away and with it her dignity.

Willow was unfazed. "Penny for your thoughts?" She offered, tilting her head to the side slightly. Great. She read Luz like a book. The Latina might as well wear a bright neon sign that says 'I Think Too Much About Nothing.'

Luz shook her head. "I don't want to be a bother," she deflected, turning back to the English worksheet on her desk that had nothing but her name written on it. Willow clearly wasn't having it. She reached forward to grab her friend's shoulder.

"Respectfully, Luz, you've been staring at the wall for the past fifteen minutes and this class ends in twelve. Something's bothering you," the Asian girl insisted, giving her friend a hard glare when she opened her mouth to protest. "If you don't want to tell me now, that's fine. But I'm a good listener."

Luz considered her options, then let out a heavy sigh. "My friend- you know, the one I met on the train a month ago? She's not answering any of my texts, and she flaked on our meeting, and I'm worried about her." A faint red hue tinted her cheeks as she looked away. "It's stupid, I know, but she's not the kind to just bail like that." She crossed her arms on her desk and rested her head on her forearms.

Willow smiled reassuringly next to her. "It's not stupid. It's normal to worry about your friends." She paused, considering something for a moment. "I'm sure she's fine. Do you want to come with me and Gus to the fair happening later? To take your mind off things," she added the last bit as a form of persuasion. 

The brunette chewed lightly on the end of her pencil as she scanned the worksheet she'd been given. "Yeah, sure," she replied absentmindedly. 

Class droned on for a little while after, with the light chatter between the students being drowned out by Luz's sudden focus as she cranked out answers to the assignment as fast as she could before the period ended. She was successful, and celebrated when she frantically scrawled the final question's solution right as the bell rang to signal the end of her institutional torture for the day.

She walked home from school with Willow and Gus, the latter launching into his conspiracy theories about aliens, thoroughly entertaining the other two. Luz was the only one unprepared for the trip to the fair, so her friends waited on her porch as she rushed putting on a change of clothes and grabbing her wallet. She emerged wearing a light blue flannel, a gray plain color t-shirt, black jeans and a black beanie that had little cat ears sticking out from its top.

"I'm officially ready for any roller coaster! Who volunteers to help me find my beanie when it flies off my head?" Luz joked, running backwards ahead of the other two in her group. Willow rolled her eyes, picking up the pace to match her excited friend. Gus lagged behind. 

They arrived at the fair a short jog later, guided by the Ferris wheel that jutted into the sky. Luz gazed in wonder at the stalls lined along a pathway that fizzled out into a circle surrounded by various attractions and rides, selling greasy food and offering scummy rigged carnival games. She started to rush over to buy fried donuts, only to be stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"Luz, you don't really want those donuts," Willow stated matter-of-factly, shaking her head. The brunette pouted, eyeing the stall longingly, but begrudgingly agreed. 

Gus pointed at a generic teacup ride some fifty feet away. "Spinning liquid holders! Let's do that first!" He didn't wait for an answer as he bolted in the direction of the so-called 'spinning liquid holders.' Luz tailed him, equally as excited and not bothering to hide it. Willow sighed. 

An hour passed in the blink of an eye as the trio flew through different rides, with Luz losing her beanie as promised (luckily not on a roller coaster) and forgetting all her worries about Amity in the moment. They ended up getting chased out by staff when they started a small fire in a trash can by accident, but overall they collectively considered it to be a good day. 

On the horizon the sun was beginning to fall, turning the sky hazy shades of oranges and pinks on their journey home. 

They split up at Luz's house, with the Latina waving goodbye as they left. She opened the front door and ventured into her house, kicking off her shoes and flopping onto the couch unceremoniously. The full day of social interaction and running around being a rascal had left her exhausted. She'd tried not to let it show around her friends, but that only meant falling harder whenever she was out of sight.

A buzz from her phone startled her after she'd entered a state of tranquility, staring at the ceiling and counting the times the fan that hung from it oscillated. She glanced at the screen, her heart dropping when she read the contact name.

 **Amity:** Hey

Luz wanted to ask a million questions. _What happened? Are you okay? Can I come pick you up? Were you really offended by my Karl Marx joke?_ Instead she opted to send a simple response.

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** r u okay?

 **Amity:** Yeah

 **Amity:** Can I come over

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** sure u know my addy right

 **Amity:** Yeah

 **Amity:** I have a lot to say

 **LUZ!!!!!!:** okay just knock

Her fingers dragged through her dark-brown hair, dreading the undeniably awkward conversation that was to come. They hadn't spoken in days and the tension between them was palpable, evident in their texts. Luz knew she felt somewhat connected to the girl, and whether that was weird to say when she'd only hung out with her a limited amount of times wasn't clear to her. 

She distracted herself by playing an obnoxiously ad-ridden game on her phone, trying desperately to take her mind off of the protective questions that filled it. A knock on the door turned her attention away from her attempt, however, and she lifted herself off the couch, opening the door with hesitance.

Behind it was a disheveled Amity, dressed head-to-toe in black and with recently dyed hair, no sign of the auburn roots that had peeked through aquamarine a week ago. Her amber eyes lacked the mischievous glow they previously held, being replaced by tired indignation and filled with unshed tears. The bags under them had grown more noticeable, signalling a lack of sleep. 

Wordlessly, the green-haired girl fell into Luz's arms, who hesitantly wrapped them around her torso, unsure of the situation. Choked sobs filled the silence of the room, cracking the tension between them as Luz internally vowed to murder whoever made Amity feel this way in cold blood. The brunette closed the open door with her foot and guided Amity to the couch, sitting her down gently. 

"I- I thought I wouldn't," Amity wailed, getting cut off by another cry as she buried her head in her hands. Luz rubbed a hand along her back soothingly. The position was a little uncomfortable, but Luz would tough through it. Her friend was hurting and that was all that mattered at the moment.

She pulled back slightly, putting both hands on Amity's shoulders to ground her. "What happened?" She prodded gently, subtly eyeing her friend for any injuries. 

Amity took in a shaky breath. "My parents, they're shitty people who've got a knack for making my life miserable," she began, giving a watery chuckle. "It's probably their favorite pastime. They monitor me closely, because they don't want me to end up like my 'degenerate siblings,'" she held up air quotes for the remark, "I've been told all my life not to turn out like them.

"They've been spying on me with the friends they chose for me, and they found out I was hanging out with you," Amity continued, speaking around a lump in her throat that grew as she spoke. "They told me if I didn't stop talking to you then they'd make your life exponentially worse. They've made similar threats to... other people in my past. And I didn't want to do that to you," her voice trailed off as she collapsed into Luz's lap, halfheartedly holding back another sob.

"So I told myself to stay away, to keep my problems away from you, and maybe I'd just get over losing you one day, but everything was telling me otherwise," Amity lamented. "I stayed away from The Owl House, I avoided the train tracks, but everything still reminded me of you."

Luz's eyes widened. Amity shifted beneath her, to face her. 

"Is that weird? I don't know. You're the first real friend I've had in years... I just- I couldn't lose someone else," amber stared into deep brown for a moment before Amity sharply looked away. "I didn't want to let them control me anymore."

A comfortable silence enveloped the two for a minute as Luz processed everything she'd heard tumble out of her friend's mouth. She'd known that her parents weren't the greatest, that had been mentioned in passing, but she hadn't expected them to be this controlling.

"Amity, respectfully, if I ever see your parents I would happily duel them in a Denny's parking lot," Luz growled, prompting a genuine giggle from the girl situated on her lap. "You think I'm joking? I'm entirely serious. I'll beat the shit out of them, just give me the signal."

Her friend shook her head. "That would be a scandal. They avoid those by the skin of their teeth."

"I'll spare you and instead eat them in the name of Karl Marx," the brunette joked, using her index and middle finger to push on Amity's forehead playfully, who grunted and leaned away from the touch. 

Without warning, Amity gave a huge yawn, stretch and all. It was really, really cute, and not to mention it showed her particularly sharp canines that Luz may or may not find hot. 

"Tired?" Luz teased. Amity glared at her.

"Gee, I wonder if I'm tired after running from my parents who've controlled every aspect of my life since I was born," she replied with a roll of her eyes, flipping onto her side and snuggling further into Luz's thighs. "I'm just gonna take a nap here. Good luck if your legs fall asleep, it's karma."

Silently, Luz appreciated the joking nature that the conversation towed. She only really knew how to help in serious situations with humor, and she was glad her friend was taking it in stride. Not everybody appreciated a good joke to lighten the atmosphere.

Light snores emanated from the girl beneath her. Luz grinned. _Damn, she really was tired._ It had barely been thirty seconds since she'd rolled over into a more comfortable position. 

Unfortunately Luz could feel the telltale sign of numbness, the television static tingles, pulsing from her thighs. Groaning internally, she shifted slightly, trying her hardest to both keep Amity undisturbed and provide blood flow into her legs.

She didn't really mind. Slowly, the fatigue of the day wore her down as well, and she succumbed to sleep without a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the long-awaited luz pov chapter, in which they go to a fair and there's also an outpour of emotions and revelations that will most definitely come into play later LOL
> 
> im actually proud of this chapter, funnily enough
> 
> i have a playlist for this fic that i listen to whenever i'm writing (all the titles are from songs in the playlist) and the cover image i use for it is so funny i wish i knew how to show yall but its great


	6. too heavy to hold, will force you to be cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (title from Do Me A Favour - Arctic Monkeys)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOAH SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I MOVED TO ILLINOIS AND GOT REALLY FASCINATED BY THE SHEER AMOUNT OF SNOW IN MY YARD
> 
> this chapter is dedicated to the person who commented that this was one of their favorite works ever i love you 
> 
> anyways.. on this episode of 'amity vehemently denying being madly in love with Luz while the girl in question is OUT of it' featuring 'luz acts drunk when she's deliriously tired, like me because i am a kinnie'
> 
> not a lot of actual plot development in this chapter. mostly because i just moved house and i'm too tired to write anything coherent. also i'm in lumity brainrot mode and want more of them.

Orange-hued leaves crunched beneath Amity's feet as she strolled through an autumn-ridden forest with Luz in tow. A light fog settled above them, giving the woods a dreamy feeling, and it was slightly chilly, yet the cold didn't seem to pierce through the warmth that encapsulated the two.

Every once in a while their hands would brush whenever Luz waved them around to express her words, sending a spark between them that Amity hoped Luz could feel too. 

Amity never wanted this walk to end. She decided that it was the perfect scene, the perfect set-up, to confess her feelings to Luz. To tell her that she was hopelessly in love with her, whether reciprocal or not, so that the crushing weight situated on her shoulders would finally dissipate. 

They came up on a clearing with two tree stumps from stems once cut down parallel to each other, a suspiciously well-put place to sit and talk for a while. Luz plopped down on one, gesturing for Amity to join her, to which the girl complied. 

"Amity! Were you listening? Did you see that squirrel?" Luz questioned rapidly once Amity sat, leaving the green-haired girl running to catch up with her excited rambling.

"Yeah, it looked pretty small, I hope it has food for winter," Amity replied absentmindedly. "Look, Luz, I have something I want to tell you." She looked back up to see Luz with her head tilted to the side, waiting for her to continue. 

"I... am totally, one-hundred percent, nothing-to-be-done-about-it in love with you," she said, surprised at how easy it was to state out loud considering the agonizing she'd done about those words in her bed at midnight. She stared into Luz's eyes, waiting for a reaction.

The Latina blinked, once then twice, confused. "Me? You're in love... with me?" She sat up a little straighter. "Like, love love? You want to kiss me and date me?"

Reluctantly, Amity nodded. This wasn't the reaction she'd been picturing in her mind when she finally told her. It felt.. artificial. 

Luz grinned. "That is so embarrassing for you. Imagine the prestigious Amity Blight wanting to kiss me. Wow." She waved her hand dismissively. "Of course I love you too. I've been totally crushing since, like, we first met." 

Amity's heart fluttered wildly, like a snake slithering around in a panic while stuck in a bear trap. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that something about this felt wrong. The weight on her shoulders hadn't lightened at all, in fact, it seemed to have grown by three times. 

Behind the tree line, two people Amity didn't recognize walked out from behind Luz, holding a camera and a boom microphone respectively. Another strange face emerged behind Amity, clipboard and pen in hand. 

Luz stood up, running a hand through her hair, expression losing the tenderness it held before. "So, how was that take, Amelia?" She asked, trudging towards the clipboard-bearing woman. 

"It was great! But it'd be better if you were a little less nonchalant about it, this is the big scene, so we need it to really capture that serious feeling," apparently-Amelia replied, scribbling something down on her paper. "Nick, you almost got the microphone in frame, be a little more careful with it, okay?"

The man holding the microphone nodded, giving a small thumbs up. 

"And Violet, nice camera work!" Amelia said, to which the woman with the very expensive-looking camera smiled. Amelia turned towards Amity. "So, Amity, you kinda went off-script a little there, but I like the direction you took it! Felt really natural, keep up the good work!" She flashed her a thumbs up.

Amity looked around. Who were these people? Why were they intruding on her and Luz's private moment? Why did Luz seem to know them? Her heart sank as she glanced at her friend, who was chatting with Nick, like she'd known him for months. 

_Maybe she has known him for months._

* * *

Amity jolted awake, sitting up so fast she didn't realize where she was, subsequently knocking her head straight into Luz's chin. For some reason. 

_Why am I asleep on Luz's lap right now?_

The Latina cried out in surprise, clearly shocked out of her sleep, and messily brought her hand up to her chin. 

A window next to the couch they were sleeping on showed it was still dark outside. Groggily, and with a sliver of drool on her bottom lip, Amity took in her surroundings, grasping at flickers of memories from the previous day.

 _Oh, right, I just ran away from my parents, no big deal._ Internally she frowned. Then she remembered she probably just left a bruise on her crush's chin.

"Luz! I'm sorry, I had a nightmare and I-" She began, only to be silenced by Luz's finger pressing on her lips. She bit back the urge to bite it, because nobody puts their finger on her face without consequences. 

"Shhhh. It's okay, I don't mind," Luz replied, drowsiness thick on her voice. "Sleepy time now, sorting out your crushing problems later." Her head fell back against the cushion of the couch, another bout of unconsciousness gripping her as she fell back asleep.

 _Wow, that was surprisingly easy._ Satisfied, Amity lay back down, then remembered she was on _Luz's lap,_ and carefully maneuvered herself off, trying to figure out the layout of her crush's house so that she could get a glass of water because _damn, her throat was dry._

Feeling a tad bit more awake she found the kitchen sink and a glass for herself, pouring some water from the tap and downing it fast. She leaned against the counter, a hand on each side of her head, trying to process what her weird dream meant. 

_Great, so not only does Luz occupy almost every waking thought I have, but now she's in my dreams too. Fun!_

She'd read somewhere that dreams have meanings, especially nightmares, and that if you can decipher them, you might be able to understand yourself better. Or something. To be honest, she didn't really know if that was true or not, but it was two in the morning as evident by the digital clock on the oven and she had nothing better to do.

Already some pieces of her strange dream were lost on her. She couldn't quite recall Amelia's face, or the camera in Violet's hands. 

"Okay, we were in a film or something, and the whole point of it was that we were in love, and I confessed first," Amity thought aloud quietly, whispering to herself because if she woke up Luz talking about how much she loved Luz she'd never forgive herself. "But why did it being a film affect me so much?"

The sound of a door opening near where she'd left Luz scared her from her outward monologue, putting her on high alert as she sneaked back towards the living room. 

A tired sigh Amity could barely hear tickled her ears, along with something heavy being put down on a hard surface. She peered from the corner of the hallway into the kitchen.

A woman in a nurse's gown, darker-skinned than Luz, was at the door, hanging a coat up on the rack that hung beside the door. It was clear that this was Luz's mom. Amity stepped out, watching carefully as the woman turned towards her.

Luz's mom jolted when their eyes met. "Who are you?" She half-yelled, half-whispered, being mindful of the sleeping girl on the couch next to her. 

Amity threw her hands up. "I'm- I'm Luz's friend! My name's Amity! I promise!" She fled back to the safety of the corner, shaking with fear. _Parents equal bad news. Parents equal bad news. Parents equal-_

"Oh! My daughter has told me so much about you, cariño! I'm Camila. You don't have to hide!" A small bit of laughter could be detected in her voice, like the whole situation was funny. Amity flushed at the comment.

Hesitantly, Amity stepped out again, still shaking. "You're... you're not gonna hurt me, right?" She hated to ask. Anyone related to Luz was obviously a godsend, but she could never be too sure.

Camila looked at her, puzzled. "Of course not. Any friend of my daughter's is a friend of mine. Come, are you hungry?" She walked past Amity into the kitchen. "I was just going to reheat some leftovers for myself, but I'll make you something if you like."

The teenager shook her head rapidly. "No thanks. I'm not really hungry." She was pretty hungry. But she wouldn't make her crush's mother cook for her. She pulled a chair out from under the table in the kitchen, sitting down and putting her chin in her palms. 

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Camila busied herself with making a plate of food for herself. "You know my daughter talks about you a lot. You met on a train, yes?" 

Amity, not expecting conversation, took a second to boot up again and reply. "Uh, yes?"

The nurse in front of her nodded, letting the snippet of small talk end there. 

A crash sounded from the living room. Amity lurched in surprise, turning towards the disturbance, already up and ready to help Luz. 

Said Latina was sprawled out on the floor next to the coffee table, giggling. "Amity! When did you get here?" 

Amity sighed. "I've been here since seven P.M. yesterday." She stretched a hand out to Luz, pulling her up when she grabbed on. "What happened?"

"Well, I heard my mama get home, and I wanted to say hello, but I fell on the table a little bit," Luz replied, pointing to a bruise darkening on her arm. Her voice was teeming with the grogginess, slurring her words slightly. 

"Go back to sleep, you dork," Amity said with a less sternness and more fondness than she'd intended. 

The brunette brought her hand up in a mock salute. "Aye aye, captain!" Without warning, she grabbed Amity's hand and pulled her onto the couch, directly on top of her. "Snuggles!"

Now with a bright red face and a heart beating far too fast, Amity stuttered in reply, trying to push herself out of Luz's grip. She quickly learned it was hopeless, and instead of fighting it, she turned on her side, facing her crush. The flicker of anger that'd flared up in her chest was washed away by a tsunami of pure, unfiltered, uncut love. She smiled at the now-sleeping brunette's face. It was peaceful, without a care in the world. Amity admired that, just like she admired just about everything about Luz. She didn't even notice as she slipped back into unconsciousness, in Luz's embrace.

Camila watched them both with a smile, shaking her head. "Amor joven." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE REACHED THE 10K WORD MARK.......... i never thought i would hit this mark while writing any fic. EVER. and now it's here. and i have more to write. so much more plot stored in the deepest pits of my mind. just a few months ago the most i could write for one storyline was 1,500 words and now i've written 1/5th of a novel. tears are welling up in my eyes rn /j
> 
> still holding out a cup like a beggar on the street for a CRUMB of s2 news (literally all we've gotten is that eda's lines are being recorded) but at least i've written 10k words of these motherfuckers.
> 
> WHOOOEEE i came down with a really bad case of "i have no idea where to go from here" when writing this chapter. my ideas ranged from them playing basketball to an emotional scene with willow & amity and i liked neither so i hope it's not too obvious that i didnt know what i was doing here

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer i gots 2 add pls do not do this LOL its very dangerous and could kill u if ur not careful. this is fiction and i'm bending the way that freight trains nowadays really work because i want to write a cute story. if u r interested then do research but please keep in mind that this is not how real life trainhopping works and i'm conveniently leaving out the fact that there are railroad cops n shit because endless freight trains with less danger makes for a better story.
> 
> plus freighthopping is a lot more complicated than i'm letting on in this fic because i don't exactly want to drone on about it. this fic is about luz and amity so please dont take me as a source of information for freighthopping.
> 
> imma say it one more time. DO NOT DO THIS!!!!! THIS IS FICTION AND FREIGHTHOPPING IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS AND COMPLICATED THAN I POTRAY IT HERE.
> 
> railroad bulls, or just 'bulls' are railroad police that are infamous for putting trainhoppers in jail and generally being hard on them.


End file.
